


Before the Dawn

by malachibi



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Gen, Gender-Neutral Pronouns for Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Mentioned Scions of the Seventh Dawn, Miqo'te Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Multi-Classed Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Mute Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Nonbinary Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), Patch 2.5: Before The Fall Spoilers, Unnamed Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV), White Mage Warrior of Light (Final Fantasy XIV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-06
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2020-01-05 22:38:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18375503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/malachibi/pseuds/malachibi
Summary: Five ways the ending of 2.5 could have gone differently, and one time it happened as it does in canon.Also known as, the author just finished 2.x and has some feelings. Starts out kind of serious and devolves into... something. Not quite crackfic, but it's leaning that way.





	Before the Dawn

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to everyone who has helped this clueless white mage navigate this game, with a special shoutout to my friends in Slack who convinced me to get the game in the first place XD
> 
> I wrote this in an hour and it's completely unbeta'd so, uh, sorry.

1\. 

Even through the haze of pain, Raubahn can see the Warrior of Light calculating something behind their eyes. 

They're looking around, as if counting the number of enemies in the room - or sizing them up, he realizes a second too late. 

They move quickly, faster than the Braves and the Blades had expected of a supposedly tied-up white mage, and their staff appears in their hands as if summoned. 

Ilberd lets out a wordless shout, drawing the traitorous Crystal Braves to his side in an attempt at a defensive position. 

On the other side of the room, Yda pushes Minfilia under a table and crouches to join her there, where they'll be safe from the battle about to ensue. 

He's never been given a reason to think of the adventurer as reckless, or insane, or murderous, but now his mind is assigning all three terms to them as they swap weapons as easily as breathing to close in on their foes. 

Belatedly, Raubahn remembers that though the Warrior of Light has made their home in Gridania and has been studying under E-Sumi-Yan of the Conjurer's Guild since before they'd even taken on their first primal, they had started their journey in Ul'dah training under Hamon at the Pugilist's Guild.

Now, they carry a staff in one hand and wear a beaten cesti with the other, and though Raubahn cannot believe his eyes, they're easily cutting their way through the combined forces of the Braves and the Blades. 

They're going to prevent themselves from being arrested by killing anyone who might have been able to do it, Raubahn realizes, and he's going to have to stop them. 

He goes for Ilberd first, because his former friend has his full attention on the Scion, and manages to knock him out with a hard blow to the back of the head. 

No more orders coming from above, not that any orders will help at this point. 

He glances at the remaining opponents, trying to gauge how many he can take with one arm, and then remembers the other Scions are in the room in the worst case scenario. 

That in mind, he holds out a hand to the Warrior of Light. 

"Enough," he says, and they pause in the middle of casting a spell. 

They consider him for a moment, and then shake their head. 

_No,_ they sign clearly with the hand not occupied with a staff. 

"It has to be enough. The line must be drawn, and if you will not, I will," Raubahn tells them. 

They turn their back on him, raising their staff to cast a spell, and he gives them the same club to the head that had worked on Ilberd. 

Yda and Papalymo scramble out from beneath their chosen table together, ready to defend in their fellow Scion's stead, but the few remaining opponents drop their weapons. 

"Take them. Get them out of Ul'dah," Raubahn orders as Y'shtola comes back into view as well. "Your base is compromised - you'll need to get to Coerthas. Momodi will be able to help you, but you need to move fast."

"I understand. Thank you, Raubahn," Minfilia says, making a half-bow before following Y'shtola out the door.

Papalymo hovers for a moment, waiting for Yda to scoop up the unconscious Warrior of Light, and then they're all gone. 

The cleanup effort is left to him, and Raubahn heads for the door as well, ready to begin.

\--

2\. 

Teledji Adaledji runs into the Sultana's bedchamber, trying to keep the excitement off his face. 

Today, their plan finally comes together, and he could not have planned it more perfectly. 

The Scion turns, ears twitching, and Teledji manages a shocked expression. 

"You've killed her!" he gasps. "Arrest them!"

The Scion's expression turns from horror to determination rather faster than he'd expected. 

They've always been a goody-goody, only killing people if they have no other choice, and always complying with the rules and laws of wherever they happen to be. 

All the plans had taken this into account, and gone with the expectation that they would surrender in the hopes of being proven innocent the lawful way, by which time it would be too late to do anything. 

Instead, the Scion pulls out a pair of battered hora and methodically take both of his guards down before Teledji's racing mind can rework the plans that have already been set in stone. 

"Guards!" he screams, hoping to attract some of the men stationed further down the hallway. 

If it works, he has no idea - the Scion advances on him next, and that's the last thing he remembers before waking in a jail cell with Raubahn sitting outside, and that's how he discovers that he's been framed for the murder of the Sultana.

All that work for naught, he thinks furiously, and sits back to try and figure out how to salvage the situation. 

\--

3\. 

Laurentius lifts a hand to his ear to activate his linkpearl as he watches the Warrior of Light walk back towards Ul'dah.

"It's done, they have the vial."

"Excellent work," Ilberd tells him. "Does someone have eyes on them returning to the city?"

"I do," Alianne says. "They're heading for the Adventurer's Gui-- wait. They're taking the aetheryte somewhere."

"Dammit. Everyone check the nearest aetheryte," Ilberd demands, and Laurentius starts heading for the city at a run, in case he's needed sooner than expected. 

"I have them. They're in the market," someone else comments. 

"The hell are they doing there?" Alianne wants to know.

"Talking to their retainer. They're just clearing out their bag, it's fine."

Laurentius relaxes a little, slowing to a jog. If there's anything they know about this particular Scion, it's that they always hold onto anything that seems important, and something Alianne might have dropped will definitely count as that. 

"They're leaving via aetheryte," the Brave from the marketplace reports. 

"It's fine, they're here at the Adventurer's Guild again," Alianne adds quickly. "We're back on schedule."

"Good," Ilberd says. "Get into position."

_("The vial too? Okay, I can take that too, Scion. You don't want it to break at the banquet, and it belongs to a friend? That makes sense! I'll take good care of it, never fear.")_

The angry shouting through the linkshell an hour or so later makes it very clear that they are very much not back on schedule. 

"Forget it, we don't need the vial to accuse them," Ilberd decides finally. 

As it turns out, though, they do - the other Alliance leaders refuse to accept that their precious Warrior of Light could commit a murder without the actual proof. 

"If they did poison her, the vial would either be on her person or in the room still," Kan-E-Senna maintains, and scowling, Teledji sends his men to scout again for what the Scion might have done with the vial. 

Without the vial, the plan fails, and one lone retainer out on a mining venture checks on the vial in their pocket every few minutes, making sure it's safe and taken care of until it's needed. 

\--

"... and Alianne of the Crystal Braves wishes to meet with you at the station west of the Coffer & Coffin," Momodi reports, beaming at the Scion in front of her. 

The Warrior of Light frowns, cocking their head to the side. 

"You don't have time?" Momodi confirms. She's not completely fluent in sign, but confirming what's said has been working for her the entire time she's known the mute adventurer, so she's not too worried. 

The Scion nods, gesturing towards the heart of the city. 

"I know, you're expected at the banquet. Well… she made it sound important, but if you really can't go, I'll let her know if I see her again, alright? Just come see me after the banquet if you haven't found her by then."

The Scion nods again, looking pleased, and signs again. 

"You're welcome," Momodi replies, smiling at them. "Go have a good banquet, you hear?"

By the time the Sultana's lady-in-waiting arrives to ask Momodi to pass on a message as well, the Warrior of Light is happily ensconced at the banquet, surrounded by their friends, and further subtle attempts to get them alone before the Sultana arrives at the banquet prove impossible. 

At least the game isn't up, and they can try again, and until then, Momodi Modi will live in blissful ignorance of her unknowing part in the plan to take down the Scions of the Seventh Dawn.

\--

5\. 

"I suppose we must go to the banquet. It would not do to take away the guest of honor," Minfilia sighs. 

The Warrior of Light signs in response, and she tilts her head. 

"Truly? You do not wish to go?"

Her friend nods, and Minfilia sinks back into her chair.

"And yet, our organization must needs make an appearance... "

The Scion in front of her shakes her head vehemently. 

"You would have me send nobody? We will be seen as ungrateful."

A shrug. 

"Very well, I can see you will not be swayed. Might you have a suggestion on what to do with our time if not attend the banquet? … Haurchefant? You would find us a way into Ishgard? I will stay here, then - I fear I am not suited for the cold of Coerthas."

The Warrior of Light shakes their head once more, concern on their face.

"You wish everyone to go? … Then you must think this a set-up," Minfilia muses. "That someone will attack here whilst we attend the banquet."

The adventurer nods, and Minfilia sighs. 

"Then I suppose we have little choice. Let us do our best to be subtle with our escape, then. Here's what we will do."

As it turns out, it's very hard to pin a murder on someone when the alleged murderer doesn't show up, and when the Braves and Blades go to storm the Rising Stones, nobody is there. 

Minfilia sits in the intercessory with Alphinaud, patting him on the shoulder as he bemoans the loss of his plans for a united Eorzea, and both the Scions and the Monetarists begin revising their plans, preparing for whatever their next clash might be.

For now, though, the adventurer they call the Warrior of Light sleeps with their head on the table, taking the chance to sleep in peace for once.

\--

+1

The Warrior of Light stands in the snow for a long minute after Alphinaud has trudged off towards Camp Dragonhead and Cid has flown the airship away. 

They should be heading towards Camp Dragonhead and safety too, but instead they turn around and march towards Mor Dhona and Revenant's Toll. 

The people in the inn don't notice them enter, being used to Scions coming in and out all the time, but the Brass Blade posted at the door to the Rising Stones straightens up when he sees them. 

"You…" he starts, and pauses as they draw their weapon. "Easy now, friend-- I'll not raise the alarm."

Mollified, the adventurer tucks their staff away, gesturing to the door. 

"I'm not fool enough to believe the rumors," the guard comments. "That said, I cannot well let you pass. Orders are orders."

They scowl at the guard, but he doesn't budge, so they turn and exit the inn again without trying further arguments.

While it's nice to know that not everyone believes the rumors, the fact that some people _do_ is enough to demoralize even a primal-slaying, dragon-killing hero of Eorzea, and so it is with a heavy heart that they teleport themselves back to the snowy lands of Coerthas in hopes that someone might take pity on them and let them rest somewhere. 

The Warrior of Light is tired.

\--


End file.
